Cherry Blossoms

If you've been around for a while then you know how much I love NYC.

As much as I love it and as many times as I have been (and my little bit of time living there) I have never been during spring time.

I was so happy I finally got to visit my favorite city during such a beautiful time of year.

One of the big draws to the city during this season is all the blooms. The main ones... cherry blossoms. 

I knew I had to get some shots in Central Park so I met my friend after work one day and we walked over. 

Thanks to Grace's cherry blossom guide I knew just the spot I wanted to go to. (If you are visiting during the Spring I highly recommend saving her post.) 

It was crazy busy with people getting their shot for the gram, but we were able to find a little less crowded area and ended up with some great photos.

Dress: Zara (similar here, here, & here) | Jacket: Topshop old (similar here & here) | Sunnies: Quay Australia | Shoes: Shein | Lipstick: Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick in Secret Salma

What's your favorite season? Mine is usually Fall or Winter, but if I could have Spring in NYC every year that would hands down win every time... at least I think. Fall in the city is pretty magical too. 

Spring in the West Village

 This was one of the best days of my recent trip to NYC.

It started out as a beautiful, sunny spring day so I decided to wear this dress. I knew I would be walking a lot so I decided to pair it with my favorite white sneakers. And let me just say that I'm glad I also threw on my leather jacket because it turned super cold and rainy just a little bit later. 

I met my best friend up town and we decided to venture down to the West Village for lunch. The West Village is so beautiful and I could get lost for hours just wandering the streets. There's so many pretty brownstones, cute shops and yummy restaurants. That's actually exactly what we did this day. There was a wait at the restaurant we wanted to eat at so we put our name on the list and just started walking around and popping into random shops. 

If you ever find yourself in NYC you have to spend some time here. 

And if you're hungry definitely check out Via Carota. That's where we ate and it was AMAZING!! We also may or may not have seen Jake Gyllenhaal. (Another friend later told us that apparently it's a hot spot for celebs.) 

Dress: H&M | Jacket: Topshop old (similar here & here) | Shoes: Nike | Sunnies: Quay Australia | 

Lips: LANEIGE Lip Glowy Balm

I do want to take one more minute to talk about this outfit. 

I actually love how this outfit turned out. I don't think this is how I originally styled this dress in my mind, but it definitely works. I love when that happens.

My best friend also reminded me of how I always used to wear sneakers with my dresses when we were interns and he would make fun of me. Now it's super trendy. If you're looking for some sneakers to pair with your dresses (or anything else) I highly recommend these. They are probably one of my most worn shoes.

Athleisure in the Park

Happy Tuesday!!

Today I’m sharing one of the outfits I actually got to shoot while I was in NYC. This was on Friday when we decided to check out the botanical gardens in central park. My friend and I had never been and it was actually really pretty and peaceful. After that we walked about 40+ blocks to lay out in Sheep Meadow. I was so glad I wore these shorts and not denim or running shorts.  I’ve been living in these shorts since I got them about a month ago. (I think I wore them 3 times on my trip!!) In this post I talked about how I’ve been on the hunt for ALL the soft shorts this summer; and when I went into Aerie before my trip they had a HUGE selection! I think what I love about these is that you can throw on a t-shirt and sneakers, and you have a really cute casual/athleisure look for running around in. Plus it took zero thought or effort to look somewhat put together. They are also a great option to throw in your beach/pool bag this summer.

Top: Target | Shorts: Aerie sold out (similar here also love these) | Shoes: New Balance | Sunnies: Nordstrom | Purse: 3.1 Phillip Lim | Hat: New Era

I hope everyone is having a good week so far. I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things after being sick last week. Yuck!

NYC Travel Diary Part 4: FOOD!!

As promised today we are talking about one of my favorite topics…FOOD!! There is definitely no shortage of places to eat in NYC, and I challenge you to venture outside your comfort zone and try new things. I definitely have my go to places when I’m there that I will be sharing with you, however, I always love trying new places.

Blockheads: This is usually the first stop when I get to town if I get in at night. You probably can’t tell by the name but it’s Mexican food. I love their quesadillas and tacos but, the real reason I go is for the drinks. They have something called a French bulldog; which is kind of like a margarona. Instead of a corona they put a split of champagne in there! I discovered this place the first Friday night I lived in the city with my best friend and I’m so glad we did.

Tompkins Square Bagel : Everyone knows that New York is known for it’s bagels and there is no shortage of bagel places. While there is a bagel place on every corner I feel like most people have their bagel place they like the best. Tompkins Square bagel is MY bagel place. Their sourdough bagels are amazing with any of their cream cheeses. If you are looking for something a little more on the lunch side go with their chipotle chicken salad. And if you are craving something sweet, you have to try my absolute favorite…a cinnamon toast crunch bagel with chocolate chip cookie dough cream cheese! It’s seriously life changing, and you will crave all of these things long after you leave NYC. (Tip: I usually get two bagels, a breakfast bagel to eat now, and a chicken salad bagel to take home for lunch. This place can have extremely long lines on Saturdays and Sundays, but I promise it’s worth the wait. They are also a cash only restaurant, so make sure to stop at the ATM; or they have one you can use inside. Last if it’s a nice day, Tompkins Square Park is right across the street and a great place to sit and indulge in your delicious bagel.

Aria Wine Bar: J and I went here before our Broadway show and the food was amazing. (My best friends sister suggested it and she is NEVER wrong when it comes to good food recommendations.) They have an amazing pasta and wine menu so; it’s perfect for date night. It’s also in Hell’s Kitchen, which is close to the theatre district if you are heading to a show.

Melt Shop: This is another one of my go to places in the city. It’s all different kinds of grilled cheese and tator tots! Who could go wrong with those two options? They also have a Nuetella fluff milk shake that is out of this world. I usually opt for the truffle melt, because I can’t turn down anything with truffle oil, and some shop tots. If it’s really cold I’ll get a tomato soup instead.

Lilly’s Craft &Kitchen: This was a new one for me this trip and it did not disappoint. We went for brunch on Saturday and got bottomless mimosas and breakfast quesadillas. Everything was delicious and I believe the drink deal was $20 for an hour and half of bottomless mimosas, screwdrivers and bloody Mary’s.

$1 Pizza: This is a staple after any night out in NYC. Like bagel places pizza places in the city are a dime a dozen. You should be able to find a late night place almost anywhere you are. I typically go for white pizza if they have it. No one does white pizza like NYC!

Levain Bakery: I’m sure you have seen their infamous chocolate chip cookies all over the Internet and instagram! I finally made it there this trip, and although the line was pretty long for cookies, I am so glad I waited. I will go on record and say it’s probably one of the best chocolate chip cookies I have ever had.

These were just some of the places I ate this trip. Since there are sooooo many places to eat in the city I’ll leave a few more suggestions below.

Tomorrow we wrap things up with nightlife. How appropriate since it’s Friday tomorrow?!

Brunch: 

Intermezzo super fun drag brunch

Friend of a Farmer AMAZING pancakes and everything else

Jack's Wife Freda super instagramable love the avocado toast

The Doughnut Project: They totally sucked me in with their prosecco doughnut. It was equally as pretty as it was tasty! 

Lunch & Dinner: 

Eataly good food and during the holiday season they turn their rooftop into a super cute ski lodge

Tao Uptown: Good sushi and super fun environment 

Becco: Some of the best pasta I have ever had. They have a great deal that's an $100 (I think) and includes an app, salads, endless pasta and a bottle of wine for 2 people. 

Ben's Deli: If you have never been to a true NYC deli I totally recommend going. I used to work around the corner from here and would get their matzo ball soup all the time! 

Sweet Treats:

 Magnolia Bakery They are known for their banana pudding but I die for their cupcakes. I would always get 2...one for now and one for later.

Big Gay Ice Cream Shop: Love how colorful this place is and obviously the ice cream is good too!

Laduree: Macarons are one of my favorite desserts. Grab some to go or stay and have some sweets and tea. It's super cute inside.

Baked by Melissa: I love their cupcakes because they are so tiny so you can eat at least 3! Maybe 4!

Serendipity 3: I love the movie Serendipity and if you couldn't tell I try and visit places from some of my favorite movies/TV shows in the city. The frozen hot chocolate made me love the movie even more. 

NYC Travel Diary Part 2: Where to Stay

Hey guys & gals!

Yesterday I gave you a quick intro to NYC & how my travel diary will go. As with any trip you plan once you make the decision of where to go and your flights have been booked,  your next step is probably where to stay. In all honesty I don’t have a ton of experience with hotels in NYC. I have always been pretty lucky and have friends that allow me to crash at their house when I visit. But since this is a HUGE part of any trip I do have a few suggestions.

Airbnb: This is always a great option no matter where you are traveling. In NYC this would give you a great opportunity to stay and explore different neighborhoods you normally wouldn’t when staying in a hotel. I feel like the majority of hotels are in central Manhattan, but you can find an Airbnb almost anywhere.  This is also a very budget friendly option.

The Plaza Hotel: Any Home Alone or Eloise fans out there? I’ve always wanted to stay at The Plaza but haven’t gotten the chance yet. I can promise I have heard nothing but great things and in my opinion this is quintessential NYC. It’s also a great location.

Image via NY Post

JW Marriott Essex House: I actually stayed here a couple years ago and it was so nice. They recently renovated it and I’ve heard it’s even more amazing. (Really not sure how that’s possible since it was already gorgeous in my opinion.) This is right on the edge of central park and if you can get a room with a view I highly recommend it. Just like The Plaza this is in a great central location. (They are just down the street from each other.)

Image via Hotel Online

The Empire Hotel: If you’re a Gossip Girl fan this is the place for you! (Are y’all seeing a theme here? I really only know hotels from TV and movies. Haha) I’ve heard great things about this hotel and I have been to their rooftop bar, which is really fun. They even have Gossip Girl themed drinks. (At least they used to.)

Image via NY Daily News

The Palace Hotel: Since we are talking about Gossip Girl this is another one that’s from that show. I’ve walked by this hotel a few times and if the inside is anything like the outside it must be gorgeous. This hotel is on the East side but along with all of these it is in a great location.

Image via Pursuitist

I’m sorry my knowledge in this section is not very extensive. These are all fun iconic places but there are a million places to stay in the city. I think it’s all about where you plan on spending most of your time & what your budget is. I would suggest looking into boutique hotels if you want to stay somewhere like SOHO or Chelsea. If bigger names and Time Square are more your style there is no shortage of Hilton, W, or Marriott’s in the city. It’s all about what you’re looking for.

If you need any more suggestions, please feel free to comment on this post or email me and I would be more than happy to help you find the perfect place to stay for your NYC vacation.

I’ll see y’all tomorrow for one of my favorite topics…where to eat!!

NYC Travel Diary Part 1: Introduction

Hello lovelies!

Happy Monday. I know what you’re thinking, “she NEVER posts on Monday.” Well you would be correct but today, or rather this whole week I have a real treat. I’m kicking off my weeklong travel diary for NYC! That’s right there will be a new post every single day this week.

I knew I wanted to do this post when I was planning my trip; but because I love New York so much, and have a million things I want to share with y’all, I wasn’t sure how I would break it up. I finally settled on the following categories:

Places to Stay

Things To Do

Food

Nightlife

I’m going to try and keep each category to things/places from this trip. However, if you need any other suggestions please feel free to leave a comment or email me at fashionablylateblonde@gmail.com and I would be more than happy to share even more of my favorite things with you.

Today I want to leave you with a few tips for your visit.

1.    Plan ahead but not too much! I’m never one to plan my entire trip because I like to leave time open for spontaneous things. In NYC if you plan on doing something extremely touristy that requires tickets, buy them in advance. This will prevent disappointment if they are sold out and also help you avoid long lines. (The exception is Broadway because you can get some great last minute deals. However, if you have a specific show just go ahead and buy the tickets ahead of time.)

2.    Use public transportation! This may sound scary especially if you have never used the subway or any type of public transportation, but I promise it’s not as hard as it looks. And if you get lost just ask someone. We’ve all been there. This will be a huge time & money saver! (My biggest tip here is pay attention to uptown vs. downtown trains. This will save you a lot of time)

3.    Don’t be afraid to try something new. Whether it’s a restaurant or activity there are tons of things to do and see and even more places to eat so make sure to step outside your comfort zone just a little.

4.    Take a day to just wander. (Even better if it’s by yourself.) I don’t typically like to be alone. Not in a weird way but I just really like being around people for the most part. Every time I go to the city however I try and make sure I have at least one day by myself to just walk around. I love walking through all the different neighborhoods and discovering new places. I really can’t recommend this enough. It’s one of my favorite things.

5.     Last but not least bring comfy shoes. I did a whole post here on how comfortable shoes in the City are a must. Bring heels if you plan on going out and that’s your thing (I usually do) but just know you may think a pair of shoes is comfortable (that includes heels) but NYC will make you rethink that ASAP! A great trick I learned from a girl at the club one night was bring a small pair of flats like these foldable ones and put them in your purse then at the end of the night when your feet are dead you can throw them on and carry your heels.

I hope this helps and I hope you will come back tomorrow for where to stay in the city!